Silver Eyes
by Vena Silvereyes
Summary: This is just a story about Rikash, Daine and Numair's son, and what he does when he meets someone who is not who he expects, a serving girl by the name of Vena Silvereyes.
1. Chapter 1, The Beginning

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

**Vena's POV:**

_I was frozen, the sign of the spell all over my body, showing themselves as little glitters of magic fire. Blacktree stood there, a sick look on his brutal face as he sneered at me._

_Later…_

_I was crying as I felt his cruel hands bruising my body as they ran over it, and I could hear the grunts of a man aroused, and I screamed,_

_but nobody came to help me…_

I gasped, and opened my eyes to the bleak, gray ceiling of our room in the servants quarters. It had just been a nightmare, a horrible reliving of the terrible memory.

The light of dawn was just filtering into the room from the cracks in the window, so I knew that I had at least 10 minutes before I would have to get up.

I got up slowly, careful not to disturb the sleeping child that lay next to me. She was the only remainder of that awful night, although a happy one at that. I glanced over to her cot on the floor, the place that she was supposed to be sleeping. The blankets lay twisted and sweat soaked, evidence of bad dreams.

I tip-toed over to the basin and water pitcher, and quickly washed my face with the freezing cold water. I got dressed hurriedly, and walked over to where Sheni slept. I placed my hand on her slim shoulder and gently shook her awake. Her silver eyes, so like mine, popped open as she sat up. Sheni smiled sleepily.

"Morning Ma." She said

"Morning sleepyhead." I replied with a grin.

"Let's get you out of that, alright?" I asked, meaning her 'nightgown'. Sheni nodded her head and lifted her arms.

I grabbed the hem of her nightgown, which was really one of my old shirts, and pulled it over her head. I grabbed her gray dress and handed it to her. She pulled it on quickly, her breath making little white clouds in the air

.

"Go get your shoes on honey." I commanded Sheni softly. She went over to the door, her shoes lay beside it, and she sat on the floor to put them on while I made the bet and her cot.

I tried to smooth out the wrinkles in my blue dress and white apron as I watched Sheni pull on her shoes, her little hands deft. I looked down at my stockinged (is that how you spell it?) feet and for a moment I wished I too had shoes. _But you used the shoe ticket to get shoes for Sheni._ I reminded myself, and I was glad of it as the weather turned colder. Deep in thought, I jumped when the bell suddenly rang.

"Come on Sheni." I called as she stood up and grasped my hand. We walked out the door and into the hallway. In the hall you could hear every servant hurriedly getting up and dressed. We walked quickly down the hall and into the Dining Hall where we took seats. Being as we were basically the first ones there, we got our bowls of porridge when they were still hot, and our milk when it was cold.

We ate our breakfast in silence as the room slowly started to fill up with servants who had to scarf down their food as another bell rang, this one to signify that they were to start their tasks. We all handed our dirty dishes to the servants who were chosen to wash the dishes, and then we left and went to go see the 'board', which is a chalkboard that has our monthly duties.

Sheni and I peeked into the room that held the board, and I found that I was to work in the quarters that housed the Knights. I was slightly nervous about working there, for I had heard stories from the other female servants that had worked there. I picked up Sheni and hugged her while she gave me a strange look because I almost never picked her up anymore.

I walked into the quarters and picked the first door that seemed to be vacated. I knocked rather loudly and, being as there was no reply, I set Sheni down and took out the key to open the door. No one was there so we moved inside and started cleaning up. I straightened up the desk and lounge area as Sheni made the bed, with some assistance from me.

And so the rest of the day proceeded as such, in some rooms I would gather the sheets and put on new ones and then carry the dirty ones out. It was towards the end of the afternoon and I was carrying quite a lot of soiled bed sheets. As I was making my way down the stairs, I stumbled on something and fell down, my eyes closed tight in fear. I heard Sheni scream behind me, which made me feel worse.

I was honestly waiting for the sickening thud that would signify the end of my fall, when strong arms caught me as I reached the end of the steps. I looked up into a masculine face with a straight nose, brown eyes, and dark skin. I gulped, and fled back up the stairs, taking Sheni with me.

**Rikash's POV**

I was walking down the hallway to the stairs when I heard a little girl scream and I looked up in surprise to find a girl about my age tumbling down the steps, her legs caught up in the laundry she was carrying. I rushed forward to catch her as she reached the floor I was standing on, and I was shocked by how light she was. In my inner eye I saw a blinding flash of multicolored light, and through my regular eyes I saw a young woman about 5 inches shorter than me with wavy black hair tied back, pale white skin, and wary silver eyes. I saw nervousness and fear flash through them before she bolted back up the stairs.

I caught a glimpse of a child about four who looked to be related to her before she was snatched up. I stared, amazed that anybody could move so fast, and was puzzled by what I had seen within her. She seemed to have magic, but of a kind that I had never seen or heard of. _I had better go ask Father what he thinks about this._ I thought distractedly _Where did she come from, anyways? _He wondered at her strange appearance, for he had never seen any one with such pale, white skin, nor with silver eyes. He walked back the way he had come, thinking.

**So, what do you think? This is my first story, so don't be surprised if it is horrible. **

**Vena**


	2. Chapter 2, The Gift

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Vena's POV:**

I raced back to our room, my heart thudding in my chest, with Sheni on my hip. I opened the door, then slammed it shut, fumbling with the lock. I slid to the ground, tears in my eyes as I recalled how my heart had fluttered over the strangers handsome appearance. _No!_ I screamed silently. _No! Men are evil and mean and cruel and take advantage of people. No!_ (You may be able to tell she has trust issues)at this last I slammed my hand on the floor.

Sheni crawled towards her Ma and gave me a hug, wondering why I was acting so strange. "Ma, what's wrong?" she asked, confused.

"Nothing baby, nothing." I answered my voice quavering slightly. I got back up and pulled Sheni to her feet.

"Come on." I said as I opened the door. We went back down to the level where I had dropped all the laundry and, seeing no one there, I picked up the laundry and hurried down to the washers, whom I handed the sheets.

Then, job done, we went back upstairs and into the mess hall, where we ate an early dinner, which was a hearty stew, crusty rolls and water. After dinner we helped wash our dishes before going back up to the room, where we dressed for bed and said our prayers. I tucked Sheni into bed with a night time story of how my father had taught me to use the _Kiilawne _(pronounced key-lawn), a weapon favored by the village people of Anril, my home country. Sheni laughed when I told how my first attempts had created havoc with the _Uigso_, the spirits of light who live in the air.

I watched as her eyelids slowly fluttered shut. "I love you." I murmured softly as I kissed her midnight black hair. She stirred slightly as I tucked her in and I smiled as she muttered something that was incoherent. I dressed in my own nightgown, a thin, roughly made cotton garment. I crawled into bed as my own eyes started to shut, and I fell into a dark, dreamless sleep.

**Rikash's POV:**

I searched for my very elusive Father long and hard before someone (a librarian who knew my father well) was kind enough to inform me that he had gone to Pirate's Swoop to help my mother bring back my very energetic younger siblings. I sighed and decided to go talk to the head female servant, a woman by the name of Loraine.

"Hello Loraine." I greeted her casually, I had known her since I was a small child, being as I had always been curious. "Hello Rikash." She said tiredly. I studied her and noticed that she had grown some white hairs in her auburn locks, and she had bags under her eyes.

"Are you alright?" I asked, concerned. "I'm fine, I'm just having trouble with a couple of young men you aren't very nice to the serving maids." She replied.

"Um, Loraine, would you happen to know of a young serving woman, about 5 inches shorter than me? She has black hair, really pale skin, and distinctive silver eyes. Also, she has a little girl with her that looks almost exactly like her but with tan skin. Do you know her?" I asked, all without taking a breath.

"Yeah, that musta been Vena." She said. I gave her a look with my eyebrows raised, and she laughed.

"I forgot I was talking to Mr. Curious." She remarked before continuing.

"Vena Silvereyes. She came to work about 5 months ago, the little girl is her daughter." At this I gave a start, but didn't interrupt. "Nobody knows her story, but its said that she comes from past the Roof of the World." Loraine finished "Mind, she's pale enough." She added, chuckling.

"Would you happen to know what room she stays in?" I asked. Loraine gave me a strange look before warning,

"I trust you with this information Mr. Salmalin; don't let my trust be mislaid." She gave me another strange look, and the she said "She's in room 103 on the 2nd floor." Wondering what she had meant by that, I said "Thanks Loraine, I'll see you later. Good-bye." And I left, trying to figure out what I would say to her once she had opened the door, that was, I was assuming she would.

--

**Vena's POV:**

I grinned as Sheni and I played together. We had both woken up in the morning, refreshed. Today was Sunday, which meant is was the one day that we didn't have to work. I turned my attention back to the dolls that we were playing with.

"This is Dorothy." I said, holding the doll with red yarn hair.

"This is Anne." Sheni said, holding the doll with brown yarn hair.

"Nice to meet you." Said Dorothy

"Nice to meet ya." Said Anne

"I said it first."

"No you didn't."

"Yes I did!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

The dolls started hitting each other, causing giggles from Sheni and I. The giggles were abruptly stopped by a knock on the door.

**No One's POV:**

Vena stared at the door, then got up with Sheni and walked over, forgetting that all she wore was a nightgown above a loincloth and breast band. Rikash, on the other side of the door, hoped that this was the right one. It suddenly swung open to show Vena in a thin white garment holding the hand of a little girl.

Rikash blushed when he saw all she wore was a nightgown. Vena, wondering at the cause of the blush, looked down and felt her cheeks grow warm as she too turned scarlet. Sheni meanwhile decided to introduce herself. She popped out from behind Vena, startling Rikash.

"Hi!" she said in her high voice, not caring that he was a total stranger, only knowing him as the guy who saved her Ma on the stairs.

"I'm Shenilya. But mostly people call me Sheni, though Ma says my name is beautiful." She continued, before ducking her head in embarrassment, Ma always said not to ramble.

"My name is Rikash." He told Sheni. Vena listened to his voice, it was nice and warm, about medium in tone.

"Milord, what brings you to my room?" Vena asked him in her best servant's voice, curtsying slightly.

"I just wanted to check on you and see if you were ok after your flight on the steps." He replied with an easy grin.

"Well, yes, I'm fine, thank you very much Milord. By your leave Milord." She said quickly, before pulling Sheni back into the room and shutting the door in his face, leaving him staring blankly at the wooden surface before he shook his head and walked away.

**Vena's POV:**

I sighed in relief as I heard his footsteps retreating down the hall, and then I turned back to Sheni.

"Sheni, put your dolls away, we're going to go to the baths." I announced, which produced much glee with the 4 year old, she loved baths. I made the bed before I gathered up our clothes and we made our way to the servant's baths, which was only two doors down from ours.

As we entered the room, we were buffeted by the warm steam that had risen from the hot water. I set our clothes down on one of the numerous little stools before I took of Sheni's nightgown. I put her in a small tub and washed her up quickly with the little bar of cheap soap with was all that the servants were allowed to use, unless they bought their own.

Then, leaving her to play, I stepped into the rapidly cooling water. I quickly washed up and rinsed the dirt from my hair before I got out and dried off with a scrap of a towel. I then got dressed into one of my own dresses, which was by far better than the one's issued as this one was made for me and actually fit.

The dress was cotton, but thick for the weather at the moment. It was a silver color, to match my eyes, and it was embroidered with black thread that shaped little crescent moons. Then, after brushing my hair and braiding it and putting it back up, I took Sheni out of her tub and dried her off with a towel that was better than mine.

Her teeth were chattering as I started to dress her, and I was grateful for the warm steam. I quickly tugged a blue dress over Sheni's head and brushed her long hair before braiding it into two tails. Then I put her stockings and shoes on and we gathered up our dirty clothes before returning to our room.

Being as I was carrying the load and it was blocking my vision; it was Sheni who brought my attention to the gift that lay at my door. But, not knowing what it was at first, I replied;

"One moment honey, I'll be right there." As I managed to get the key in the lock and open the door. I walked in and Sheni followed, holding something in her hand. I set down the laundry, and turned my attention to the gift. I gasped, it was a pair of shoes in my size, and along with them was note. I saw that it was written in Common, so I read;

_Hello Vena,_

_I noticed that you didn't wear any shoes, _

_so I went to Loraine, and she kindly agreed to leave you a pair._

_I hope you like them, _

_and I hope you don't slip down anymore stairs._

_Rikash_

I stared at the note, wondering why he would do something like that. Then I put on the shoes, and found that they fit perfectly. I smiled_ You'll have to tell him thank you eventually. _I reminded myself.

"Come on Sheni, we're going to go see if they have any food at the market." I called to my daughter, who had gone to play with her dolls as soon as I had taken the shoes from her hands.

"Coming Ma." She said, and gently set them down before catching up to me. We went out the door and locked it behind us as we walked out of the hallway, on our way to the market, both of us in our shoes, tapping along.

**Rikash's POV:**

_I hope she'll like the shoes._ I worried silently as I absently looked around my rooms. I was about to go and see where Sarra was when I realized that I was down to my last suitable shirt. I sighed, I guess I would have to go see Lalassa ( Is that how you spell it?) and get some new one. I left and made my way down to the market, not really paying attention to anybody.

--

This is a weapon that only the people in Anril use. It is a length of rope that has 2 long metal blades welded on. They fight using slashes as the end of the rope is wrapped around their hands. It is a very dangerous weapon, though you have to be close to your enemy to use it.

**So, how do you like it? Please Review.**

**Vena**


	3. Author's Note

Hi everybody, I just wanted to let you know that I am moving back to the U

Hi everybody, I just wanted to let you know that I am moving back to the U.S. from Germany and I may not be online or even near a computer for the next 3 weeks, just to let you know I am still keeping up the story.

Bye,

Vena Silvereyes


End file.
